Los Angeles City Council Districts

Candidates for four Los Angeles City Council districts in the San Fernando Valley were polled on these issues: Metro Rail--The proposed $3.3-billion subway would link downtown with North Hollywood and would be financed, for the most part, by the federal government. The City Council must decide whether to provide the city's share of funds from a voter-approved half-cent sales tax increase to finance the project.

The citizen commission redrawing Los Angeles City Council districts launched a second round of public hearings this week to present its proposed boundary changes--and invited Angelenos to come "[throw] tomatoes at it." Figurative tomatoes, we hope. Controversy is a given when remaking the city's political map. Openness isn't. For that, the commission deserves bouquets along with the inevitable brickbats.

The citizen commission redrawing Los Angeles City Council districts launched a second round of public hearings this week to present its proposed boundary changes--and invited Angelenos to come "[throw] tomatoes at it." Figurative tomatoes, we hope. Controversy is a given when remaking the city's political map. Openness isn't. For that, the commission deserves bouquets along with the inevitable brickbats.

Hoping to resolve a sticky legal problem, Mayor Richard Riordan and his supporters Friday said members of a proposed government reform panel should be elected by council district. Riordan and Studio City attorney David Fleming are backing a petition drive to create an elected citizens panel that would propose ways to overhaul the city's governing charter. Fleming said one citizen from each of the 15 council districts should be elected to the panel, rather than on an at-large basis.

Voters in five Los Angeles City Council districts face choices on Tuesday that will help reshape political alignments in the city and refocus a longstanding debate on the future of growth and development. Mayor Tom Bradley, whose support has been waning on the council, has endorsed two newcomers, Mark Ridley-Thomas and Rita Walters, who could be important Bradley allies in the coming year as the mayor decides whether to run for an unprecedented sixth term in 1993.

A Los Angeles City Council panel will hold its last community hearing tonight on redrawing of City Council and Board of Education district boundaries. The hearing by the Ad Hoc Committee on Redistricting will be at 7 p.m. at Granada Hills High School, 10535 Zelzah Ave., Granada Hills. City Council district lines must be redrawn to reflect population changes recorded in the 1990 census.

Los Angeles City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky's three opponents usually place an empty chair at his spot on the dais when he skips joint campaign events. The chair is supposed to symbolize Yaroslavsky's absence from the 5th District race, but it also says a lot about the frustrations of running against a powerful incumbent who appears to be in no real danger of losing his seat.

Hoping to resolve a sticky legal problem, Mayor Richard Riordan and his supporters Friday said members of a proposed government reform panel should be elected by council district. Riordan and Studio City attorney David Fleming are backing a petition drive to create an elected citizens panel that would propose ways to overhaul the city's governing charter. Fleming said one citizen from each of the 15 council districts should be elected to the panel, rather than on an at-large basis.

For 27 years he has been the unquestioned "Emperor of the 9th District." But now Councilman Gilbert Lindsay is ancient and ailing, and the debate down on Central Avenue is whether the emperor's reign should come to an end. Down at the Theresa Lindsay Senior Citizens Center, named for the 90-year-old councilman's late wife and located next door to a pawnshop, many of the emperor's subjects say yes, many say no and many say maybe.

In the annual Fourth of July parade in Pacific Palisades, which features a veritable bevy of beautiful people, one of the biggest crowd pleasers is a poorly dressed, slightly built man with the look of a befuddled professor. The man who draws as much applause as any of the many featured celebrities is Los Angeles City Councilman Marvin Braude, a hometown boy who has been making good for nearly 25 years. Braude, 68, who reigns over the council's wealthiest district, has gone unopposed since 1981.

A Los Angeles City Council panel will hold its last community hearing tonight on redrawing of City Council and Board of Education district boundaries. The hearing by the Ad Hoc Committee on Redistricting will be at 7 p.m. at Granada Hills High School, 10535 Zelzah Ave., Granada Hills. City Council district lines must be redrawn to reflect population changes recorded in the 1990 census.

Voters in five Los Angeles City Council districts face choices on Tuesday that will help reshape political alignments in the city and refocus a longstanding debate on the future of growth and development. Mayor Tom Bradley, whose support has been waning on the council, has endorsed two newcomers, Mark Ridley-Thomas and Rita Walters, who could be important Bradley allies in the coming year as the mayor decides whether to run for an unprecedented sixth term in 1993.

For 27 years he has been the unquestioned "Emperor of the 9th District." But now Councilman Gilbert Lindsay is ancient and ailing, and the debate down on Central Avenue is whether the emperor's reign should come to an end. Down at the Theresa Lindsay Senior Citizens Center, named for the 90-year-old councilman's late wife and located next door to a pawnshop, many of the emperor's subjects say yes, many say no and many say maybe.

In the annual Fourth of July parade in Pacific Palisades, which features a veritable bevy of beautiful people, one of the biggest crowd pleasers is a poorly dressed, slightly built man with the look of a befuddled professor. The man who draws as much applause as any of the many featured celebrities is Los Angeles City Councilman Marvin Braude, a hometown boy who has been making good for nearly 25 years. Braude, 68, who reigns over the council's wealthiest district, has gone unopposed since 1981.

Los Angeles City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky's three opponents usually place an empty chair at his spot on the dais when he skips joint campaign events. The chair is supposed to symbolize Yaroslavsky's absence from the 5th District race, but it also says a lot about the frustrations of running against a powerful incumbent who appears to be in no real danger of losing his seat.

After the death of Los Angeles City Councilman Howard Finn last month, council members again realigned their districts. The biggest changes: Finn's District 1 moved from the east San Fernando Valley to near downtown and became the second predominantly Latino district, along with the 14th. Districts 2 and 7 moved into the old District 1 territory. Districts 4, 5, 10 and 13 also shifted significantly.

After the death of Los Angeles City Councilman Howard Finn last month, council members again realigned their districts. The biggest changes: Finn's District 1 moved from the east San Fernando Valley to near downtown and became the second predominantly Latino district, along with the 14th. Districts 2 and 7 moved into the old District 1 territory. Districts 4, 5, 10 and 13 also shifted significantly.

Elections are being held today in seven of the 15 Los Angeles City Council districts--the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th and 14th. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Elections are also being held today for five of the seven seats for the Los Angeles school board and for four of the seven seats on the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees. The school board seats represent geographical areas; community college seats are at large.

Candidates for four Los Angeles City Council districts in the San Fernando Valley were polled on these issues: Metro Rail--The proposed $3.3-billion subway would link downtown with North Hollywood and would be financed, for the most part, by the federal government. The City Council must decide whether to provide the city's share of funds from a voter-approved half-cent sales tax increase to finance the project.